After 5 years, I'm updating my review with more details - but the 5 stars stays the same! This is…read moresuch a delicious, filling spot with the friendliest service. Each time we come, we're greeted in such a friendly manner. I love the decor and vibrant colors in here - it really transports you to an authentic Mexican experience. Service is so speedy - you will not be waiting on them! The staff are absolute hustlers that really care about doing their job. Coming from Minneapolis, having chips and salsa for the table is a welcome joy - and they have some of the best dang chips I've ever had! ALWAYS order queso for the table. Theirs is delish. I love their street tacos and enjoy their combos too. My partner loved their quesadilla, and especially enjoyed the ham and bean soup they give on the side. Their margaritas are massive and delicious - just how you want it! Support this local business - thanks for being a staple in Panora.

Amazing! Staff friendly and service is always great! Food tastes like homemade Jalisco, Mexican…read morefood! Just like my Mother's cooking! I feel like I am home! So delicious and filling that we stop there twice a year from Nebraska on our way to our daughter's house in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The restaurant is decorated with beautiful artwork hand paintings of local historic buildings in Stuart, Iowa. In the back room is an awesome big bar AND very Beautiful professional hand painted walls depicting the movie"CoCo"! That can be used for large groups or families too. Prices are reasonable too. It's always a MUST STOP place to eat when passing east. DON'T MISS IT!!! They speak English too!

I've been here a few times and the service is always good. The chile relleno was delicious!…read more Enchiladas verdes were tasty. Salsa was ok, not great. Service has been good too. I'll stop again my next time through Des Moines.

It's been a hot minute since I've been to El Aguila Real. In fact the last time might have been…read morewhen they had the location open in West Des Moines on 22nd. I took the kids to the newest location, after their move North on MHR, today for lunch. Love the ample parking. The staff all wore masks. Every other table/booth was blocked off for social distancing. We were greeted at the door and seated right away. Chips and salsa arrived maybe a minute after we were seated at a pretty spacious booth. Love their salsa. Not a lot of chunks and always fresh tasting. We ordered a California burrito (steak), one chile relleno, a two beef taco combo without beans, a two beef enchilada combo. I had water but ordered soda for the kids. $43 and change before tip. $41 and change with a 5% discount for using cash.. Some basics. Your server takes your order at the table/booth. Payment is taken up front after your meal when you leave. The lunch menu is only served Monday - Saturday. You get one free refill on soft drinks. Additional refills are $1.75. There's a 5% discount if you pay with cash. Our server was an older gentleman and he did a fantastic job. He was attentive, nailed our order, and was quick to get the kids refills when their glasses were empty. The food was as good as always. The steak and components in my burrito were tender and cooked perfectly. In these days of plastic disposable silverware I'm always scared of hearing a snap and launching pieces of a utensil across the room. ;) The kids have eaten here with family since I had and love the food. Today was no different. One of the rockstars at El Aguila Real that always sticks in my head is their chile relleno. I can't seem to pass them up. Cooked tender, stuffed with beef, slathered in melted cheese. I've tried others and they just don't do it for me... I don't think they're "authentic"... But damn they're good. All in all a great visit today. El Aguila Real is never a bad choice. I need to do a better job of keeping them in my rotation when we decide to go out.

We had a great time here for dinner! We got our food quick and our server was sweet and attentive…read more The food portions were also much larger than I expected and they gave us a free desert at the end of our meal. It was a little hot inside but would definitely recommend!! I'll be coming here again

We wanted to go to the nearby High Trestle Trail Bridge, so we stopped here for lunch with our…read moregrandkids on a weekday just after noon. We were quickly seated and got our drinks and started to look over the menu, which house lots of options! The kids settled in on a grilled cheese and a taco respectively. I decided to get the lunch burrito and my wife went for the lunch enchilada. Our food came out pretty quickly and everything was very fresh tasting and the serving sizes are huge! For a lunch special I expected a lunch-sized portion and I got what I would consider an evening-sized portion. The same for my wife's meal. When we were wrapping up, they came out with ice cream for the kids. They really enjoyed that even though you would've thought they'd have been full after all they ate for lunch. The spice level on everything was very mild. The salsa had just a little bit of a zing to it but nothing that would stop the kids for eating it. Next time I will ask for some hot sauce or throw some jalapeños in my entrée, but I do like it spiced up a bit. Service was very good and a gentleman who I assume is the owner was very funny and engaged well with everyone in the restaurant. They have a parking lot and everything was neat and clean. We did not partake of any adult drink offerings, but they did have what look to be a nice nicely stocked bar

I got food poisoning from this place. I was so sick. I usually don't write this negative review,…read morebut I had to warn.

It is a welcome addition to to the area real deal Mexican I felt like I was back in Dallas we opted…read morefor take away and it was packed with goodness I had the choio polo and I was not disappointed fresh hot and just like home they packed a bag of fresh chips and salsa only caveat was the salsa was very midwest as to heat oh well considering the local I give them a break on that It was decorated like a real deal Mexican place and the staff is real deal as well very good place great people

Haven't stopped by in a long time. Today I enjoyed 4 enchiladas for lunch. Quite authentic Mexican…read moreFood. I recommend this place

Great hole in the wall place :) Love love love the pork or steak tortas here! Service has always…read morebeen great. Parking in the lot can sometimes be difficult.

The food was really delicious, and the service was excellent. Very friendly staff and a great…read moreoverall experience. 100% recommended!

Walked in to place a to go order. They were super helpful in getting exactly what I was craving and…read morevery personable! P.S. they have to go margs! Will be back!

Highly recommend very good food super friendly staff. Authentic Mexican food and a great environmentread more

This place was quaint with about 6-7 tables. Menus and condiments on table. Chips and Salsa were…read morebrought out quick. Sodas, waters etc came in bottles. Food: Quesabirria Tacos with Consommé- 4/5 Asada Taco - 3.5/5 Al Pastor Taco - 3.5/5 Rice and Beans were great! The Asada and Pastor was just a smidge dry but flavors were good! Quesabirria is a must try here! Service was great!

Coming from Arizona, I've definitely missed those authentic Mexican flavors, and El Molcajete…read moredelivered. Everything we had was incredible. The carne asada was packed with flavor, and pairing it with the bacon-wrapped shrimp took the whole plate to another level. The shrimp tacos were easily some of the best I've had--fresh, loaded with toppings, and that sauce they put on them was seriously out of this world. The service was just as impressive as the food. Everyone was attentive, welcoming, and made the entire experience enjoyable from start to finish. I honestly can't think of a single thing that was lacking. Great food, authentic flavors, phenomenal service, and an overall top-tier experience. If you're in Ankeny, definitely stop by and give El Molcajete a try. Moving here from Arizona and finding a gem like this was a huge win. My wife and I already know this is going to become one of our regular spots. Easily a 10/10 experience! Can't complain the ambiance was a nice open concept.

This is my stepdaughter and her husband's favorite Mexican restaurant in their hometown, so we…read morestopped in as a group of 6 on a Friday night. We were seated right away and ordered a pitcher of Skinny Margaritas. They were VERY tasty, well-prepared, and a good accompniament to our chips and salsa. They bring out both mild and spicier salsa, and of course there are options for guac and cheese sauce. For dinner we got a variety of dishes. Two of the group shared a bowl and it was enough for them with leftovers. I got the Loco Burrito, and it was easily 2 meals for me. Others got tacos and shrimp, and everyone enjoyed their dishes. Service was excellent, and the staff worked together to keep things moving right along! I believe this is an old Golden Corral Building, so there is a lot of seating, and a bar right when you walk in the door. Great food and drink!!